Plant protector



March 29, 1932. w, R, sHlNDLER PLANT PROTECTOR .l Patented .'Mar. 4*29,119,152*

Unir-Enf; states WALTER n.1scHrnnLEniorfnosnirennns, cALIFonNIAl. i-

c rLANTpPnoTEcToRQ Application iledjyoctolber 27,1930. SlerallNo. 4913449.

This invention relates to plant protectors,

sometimes termed hot caps. The true hot k cap, however, 1s of conoidal or other hollow i shape, whereasthe present invention 1sl con-` f structed in a flat forni and is bowed upward- *eral kinds of papergin: the construction, one f ly, when placed in position over 'the plant or seed, to protect the sanie.y

An importa-nt7 object vot the invention is inexpensiveness ofconstruction, since thek ia. competitive prices of vegetables is largely dependent upon .the cost ot protectors, Tor' hot caps,` used in the earlystages of growth of such vegetables,

` Another important object is theease with:

Figure lis a` plan view ota plantprotector i" constructed in accordance with the PI'OVSQHS of this invention as it appearswhen in use;A

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the line indicated by 2-2, Fig. l. l

Figure 3 is a vertical sec-tion o-n the rline indicated by 3 3, Figi.

Figure l is a reduced plan view of the pro-- tectorin its flat condition. Y Referring to the drawings, ther main body of the protector isVconstructed of paper Y f that is waxed, or is otherwise inade suitable for a highv degree ofpernieability to light.' In this instance,- the body 1s substantially square and two of its oppo-slterrnargins are aihXed by an adhesive or by other suitable L ineans to anchor strips 6 which are relatively ing ystrip 7 is aihxed by a suitable adhesive narrow strips of the saine length as the man gins of the body 5, to which they are aflixed.

Parallel to the anchor strips 6 and substantially midway between them a support- 'tothe boCly. j End yportions ySofthe strip 7 are'fre'e'froni the'body 5 and only theinter- "inediateportionQ ofthe strip 7 Vis secured tol thefbody 5. In* thisinstance, the strip "is of a C length corresponding to' the length yoit that portion yof the body towhicli thel strip ist 7 is attached. When it is desire-d to gus'e the f plant protector, the end portions 8` will be bent at'substantially right angles tothe" strip portion 9 so as toy forin legs for supporting` the body in the forni shown in FigkQ;

auf v Inthe present instance, I prefer to con- Vstruct"the "strips 6 ,ot rrelatively heavy brown f PiPr ,and the -strip of a yslightly"heavier fgrade'of paper or cardboard. Itis essential that 'the strip? be of relatively'heavyzniaterial so as to properlysupport'therbo'dy 5.

The construction of .the invention will be readily understood frointh'e foregoing,'and' the operation thereof is asfollows :I

The gardener will iirst bend the legs 8 away nvfrom the body so that they extendsubstan# tiallyatright .angles ytothe strip portion 9 n and he will then force the lower end'sot the f legs 8 into the soil at opposite sides of the Vplace :occupiedbyftheplant or seed that is tov dicated "at A. i Generally the 'protectors are placed `over the seedV orvery `small 7plant as soon as therplant has been set out. Thegardener thenholds down the strips 6 and throws bey protected. [In thisr instance, plant is in f alittle soilon'to'them, asindicated at` BQzt-o hold them in place,lthus securely anchoring the bodv 5l against beingblown aside by they wind. The strips 6j are made 'of a paper that is suliiciently durable to .withstand the inoisture inthe soil sothat rotting of the paper will? not take place during'the time it is der sired that the plantbev protected.

vAfter the stripsr 6 have been secured in the manner mentionedabova the body endporfv tions `l0,that are free ironithelegs 8, willbe pressedl down by thel gardener, soinewliatla's indicate/din lig.y 2fand a. slight amount 'of soil banked against thelowerinargins ofthe vportionslllso'as to hold the said portions l0 folded-in as shown. The plant is now coni-y pletely enclosed and a large ineasure'of sunlight can pass through thev body 5 to the soil beneath the protector.-

While the plant is growing beneath the protector, it is desirable that the soil around it be cultivated, and a very important advantageV of the invention will now be apparent,

since to gain access to the soil around the plant, all that is necessary for the gardener to do is to remove the soil from one of the anchor strips 6 and raise that portion 11, to which said anchor strip is attached and which constitutes one side of the protector when in place over the plant. After he has finished cultivating the soil around the plant, the gardener lowers the portion 11 and throws the soil back onto the anchor strip. This may be repeated as often as required.

The waxed paper withstands moisture, such as fog or dew, for suflicient lengt-h of time to enable the plant to mature to a` size where it no longer requires protection, and when it reaches such size the protector will be removed.

It is to be noted that the adhesive, indicated ,at l2, for fasteningf the strips 6, 7 to the body 5. is protected against moisture by reason of said strips beiner secured to what is the underface of the body 5 when the protector is inuse.

(I claim 1. A plant protector cmnprisineY a body of paper harinar a relatively high degree of permeability to light` anchor strips of relatively7 heavy paper secured to two opposite marfrins ofthe body, and a. supporting strip below the body havingr its intermediate portion secured to the body and its end portions Jfree from said` body so that said end portions maybe bent away from the body to form supporting legs for the body 2. A plant protector comprising a body of paper having a relatively high degree of permeability to light, and a supportingr strip therebelow having its intermediate portion secured to the. body and its end portions free from said body so that said end portions may be bent away from the body to form supportf ing legs for the body.

3. A plant protector comprising: a sheet of thin material and a supportingr strip therefor in contact over a substantial portion of its intermediate length with the underside of said sheet. the ends of said strip beine free and at least portions of the strip being of iexible material whereby said ends can be bent down to form supportingr legs for the intermediate portion and for said sheet. y

4. As an article of manufacture a plant protector comprisingr a rectangular sheet of thin translucent paper having; border strips of paper secured to two opposite edges thereof, said border strips being of material more ren sistant to decomposition in the presence of moisture than the thin translucent paper forming,r the main body of said sheet.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 22d day of October, 1930.

WALTER R. S'CHINDLER. 

